Assembly for use in building structures



Oc v 3, 1 P. R. ANDERSON ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed March' 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! A g...............,,... .v.-.

INVENTOR PHILIP R. ANDERSON M P M ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 P. R. ANDERSON ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1961 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 villi INVENTOR 1967 P. R. ANDERSON ASSEMBLY'FOR USE IN BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed March 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOR N S w n R M E D m m;

United States Patent 3,344,561 ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN BUILDING STRUCTURES Philip R. Anderson, Easton, Md., assignor to Corinthian Cornice Systems, Inc., a corporation of Maryland Filed Mar. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 95,901 5 Claims. (CI. 52-11) This invention relates to an assembly for use in building structures and more particularly to a combination sheathing edge protection pocket, drip edge, cornice facing, gutter support pocket, gutter unit, soffit, sofiit closing box, rake mold bar and joining and fastening devices therefor.

This application contains unclaimed subject matter which is disclosed and claimed in application Ser. No. 410,214, filed Nov. 10, 1964, for Assembly for Use in Building Structures, by Russel T. Miles and Philip R. Anderson.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combination sheathing edge protection pocket, drip edge, cornice facing, gutter support pocket, gutter unit, soflit, sofiit closing box, rake mold bar and joining and fastening devices which may be fabricated from lightweight materials and readily and easily installed in a minimum of time without the use of special or unusual tools.

Other objects are to provide an assembly of the character described, the component parts of which may be interconnected in whole or in part on the job, which parts are engageable as a unit to a fixed part of the building structure; to provide a cornice facing including sheathing pockets for the reception of the cave and rake ends of the sheathing and having a drip or wall edge above the sheathing pocket to conduct roof drainage into a gutter beyond the sheathing pocket and to prevent curling down of roof material edges; to provide a gutter unit which may be detachably engaged with a supporting cornice facing, the gutter unit including means for clamping and locking the latter in assembled position without the use of tools; to provide a soffit comprising undulated plates of predetermined length and width secured to the cornice facing, connector means being provided for interengaging terminals of adjacent plates to provide a soffit of the desired length and width; to provide a closure box adapted to interfit with the rake of the soflit and cornice; and to provide a rake bar engageable with the rake end of the building structure, the lower portion of said rake being in contiguous relation with the cornice facing, a portion of the rake bar including sheathing and siding pockets adapted to receive and protect the edges of the sheathing and siding materials of the building structure, and having a formed top spacing edge.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred forms of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a building structure showing the application of the present invention, portions thereof being broken away to disclose details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of line 6-6 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in perspective the manner of engaging the closing box forming a part of the invention with the building structure;

FIG. 7 is a similar view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating in perspective the manner of engagement of the rake bar with the building structure;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 1010 of FIG. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the manner of connecting adjacent sofiit plates forming a part of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of the gutter unit forming a part of the present invention, portions thereof being removed to disclose details of construction;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 1313 of FIG. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 1414 of FIG. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing to advantage the manner of engaging the switch lock bar of the gutter unit with the hanger clamp;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a modified form of sofiit plate connectors; and

FIG. 16 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating a modified form of sofiit angle bar.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings there is illustrated a building structure including vertical walls 20 to which is applied siding material 21. Roof trusses or rafters are indicated at 22 to the uppermost of which is applied sheathing 23. A suitable roofing material is indicated at 24. Vertical structural supports are indicated at 25.

The building structure assembly of the present invention may be fabricated from suitable lightweight material, such as aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, plastic or the like, and may be fabricated from sheets or be extruded shapes. The assembly generally includes a cornice facing 26, supported by the building framework, to the lower terminal of which is attached a sofiit 27 which extends beneath the caves to wall 20 of the building and constitutes a unitary cover or enclosure unit for the eave and rake ends of the sheathing and the rafter portions extending forwardly of the building wall 20. The assembly further includes a gutter unit 28 adapted to be supported by cornice facing 26. A closing or return box 29 is positioned at each lateral extremity or sofiit 27. The assembly of the present invention additionally includes a rake bar 30 adapted for application to the rake end of the building structure. Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 and 8 of the drawing the cornice facing 26 preferably comprises a plurality of connected sections each of which includes a facing wall 31 of elongated substantially rectilinear shape adapted for contiguous engagementwith the front edges of roof trusses or rafters 22, an intermediate part of which is provided with an outwardly and upwardly extending lip 32 forming a gutter attachment pocket and stiffener 33 between lip 32 and wall 31. Near its upper terminal edge, the wall 31 is provided with a double reverse bend, a wall segment 32 and a second double reverse bend to define a U-shaped channel or sheathing pocket 34 having spaced top and bottom parallel wall members 35 and 36 which are connected by the wall segment 32. It will be noted that members 35 and 36 are angularly disposed to complement and self-adjust to the slant of the building structure roof so that sheathing pocket 34 is positioned to receive the lower edge terminal of sheathing 23, affording a protective covering for the latter from the elements. Lower member 36 additionally serves as a temporary or permanent securing edge through which nails, screws or staples are driven to secure cornice facing 26 to roof trusses 22. Upper angular member 35 is extended forwardly of wall 31 to provide a drip edge 37 to insure deposit of water into the gutter, members 35 and 37 additionally serving as a supporting surface for roofing material 24 to prevent curling down of the lower edges. The lower terminal edge of wall 31 is bent rearwardly at a right angle at a point below the eaves of the roof to form an undulating connecting flange section 38, the extreme longitudinal edge of which section is horizontally disposed for a predetermined distance as indicated at 39 for facile connection with soffit 27.

In order to join together sections comprising cornice facing 26, the sections to be joined are positioned with their adjacent lateral extremities approximately one-half inch apart. A joining plate 40 is placed over the joint in overlapping relation to the section terminals. As shown in FIG. 8, joining plate 40 complements the contour of wall 31 of cornice facing 26 the upper terminal of which is bent rearwardly and downwardly to form a hook 41 adapted to be received in gutter pocket 33. The lower terminal of joining plate 40 is bent to form an undulating section 42 complementing and lying in flush engagement with connecting section 38 of the cornice facing. The longitudinal edge of undulating section 42 terminates in a horizontal section 42'. Joining plate 42 is secured in position by means of a pressure pin 43 to which is connected a pressure bar 44 of half-round or horseshoe shape, the latter being placed in operative position by hand. To join the upper terminals of wall 31 which form sheathing pocket 34 and drip edge 37 there is provided a sheathing pocket joining plate 45 the lower terminal of which is positioned in gutter pocket 33. The upper terminal of plate 45 is bent forwardly and rearwardly to form an envelope 46 to receive the lateral terminals of adjacent sheathing pocket sections. Joining plate 45 is secured in position by means of tabs 47 extending in spaced relation from the upper terminals of envelope 46 which are adapted to be bent down and under the upper edge of member 35.

The one-piece cornice facing of the present invention decoratively covers the ends of rafters or trusses, provides sheathing end protection, roofing starter and roofing droop protection, gutter attachment provision, facia stiffness to permit elimination of facing board, facing drip edge to prevent water return to the soflit connection strip to attach to the soflit assembly and is designed to obviate nailing or fastening on the vertical or front surface, thus minimizing shimming or straightening.

Soffit 27 includes one or more radially disposed elongated soflit plates of rectangular or other shapes, the particular number of plates employed depending upon the width and length of the soflit. There is illustrated in FIG. 2 a soflit comprising two soffit plates designated 48 and 48', which are of undulated shape for increased strength and as shown, may be of different width and length if desired. The longitudinal edges of plates 48 and 48 lie in horizontal planes in the same manner as flange section 39 of cornice facing 26. These horizontal sections are indicated at 49, 50 and 49', 50. Connection of cornice facing section 39 and soffit plate section 49 and of soflit plate sections 50 and 49' is effected by means of S-shaped connectors designated 51 and 51, respectively. As shown to advatage in FIG. 4, these connectors frictionally engage and hold the sections inserted therein against accidental disengagement. Rear wall edge section 50' of plate 48' is inserted in a soffit angle bar 52, to frictionally engage and hold the plate against accidental disengagement, the lower portion angle bar 52 of which provides a finish or mold adapted for engagement with wall 20.

A plurality of sofllt plates 48 and 48 are positioned longitudinally throughout the length of the sofiit. Referring to FIGS. 2, 5 and 8 it will be seen that plates 48, 48 and 48', 48' are located approximately one-half inch apart, beneath which joint are soflit joining plates 53 and 53', the shape of which complements the undulating contour of plates 48 and 48'. The longitudinal edges of the joining plates are horizontal as indicated at 54, 55 and 54' and 55, for insertion into S-shaped connectors 51 and 51'. Intermediate connectors 51 and 51 and soflit joining plates 53 and 53' are secured in contiguous relation with plates 48, 48 and 48', 48 by pressure pins 56, 56' and pressure bars 57, 57. As shown in FIG. 8 the joints between adjacent connectors 51 and 51' are spanned by plates 58 and 58' which are of substantially channel shape one terminal of each of which is bent inwardly to provide a connector engaging flange designated 59, 59. The joint between adjacent soflit angle bars 52 is spanned in like manner by an angle joining plate 60 the upper terminal 61 of which is bent rearwardly for frictional engagement with the soflit angle bar in a manner shown in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. 2, soflit 27 is supported intermediate its length by a plurality of hanger bars 62 of angle shape each of which is secured to roof trusses 22 by suitable means 63. The lower terminal of one face of bar 62 is extended and bent at a right angle thereto to provide a supporting flange 64 adapted for insertion into S connector 51 (see FIG. 3). In conjunction with bar 62, there is provided a lock clamp 65 including a lower bent terminal adapted for insertion under the top leaf of connector 51'. The upper terminals of clamp 65 are provided with spaced legs 66 adapted to be wrapped around the lower portion of hanger bar 62. By means of this structure no piercing of any section of the soflfit or cornice facing is necessary. No outlook or horizontal rafter return structure is necessary and the entire unit may be installed from the top, thus eliminating the necessity of scaffolding.

Gutter unit 28 comprises a plurality of sections including a bottom 67, a rear wall 68 and an outwardly and upwardly sloping front wall 69. Rear wall 68 lies in flush engagement with facing wall 31 and the upper terminal thereof is bent rearwardly and downwardly to form a hooked portion 70 adapted for engagement over lip 32 into gutter pocket 33 of cornice facing 26. The upper terminal of sloping wall 69 is squared off to provide a gutter bead 71.

As shown in FIG. 8 adjacent sections of gutter unit 28 are positioned approximately one-half inch apart and are connected by a trough shaped gutter joining plate 72 which complements and is adapted to embrace the outer faces of the gutter unit sections at their adjacent longitudinal extremities. Securement of joining plate 72 is elfected by pressure pins 73 and pressure bars 74. Portions of the upper and outer terminal of joining plate 72 are extended to provide tabs 75 adapted to be bent downwardly into engagement with gutter head 71. The rear face of gutter joining plate 72 extends to a point in spaced relation to the upper terminal of the gutter section at which point a central finger 76 extends upwardly through an opening in a top plate 77 of substantially inverted U-shape. One terminal of top plate 77 is received in gutter pocket 33 as indicated at 78. The opposite terminal of top plate 77 designated 79 extends downwardly in flush engagement with rear wall 68 of the gutter. Finger terminal 80 is bent over terminal 79 of top plate 77. a

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 it is further within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a gutter hanger bar 82 preferably of U-shape in cross-section, the central connecting portion of which is extended to provide a bill 83 adapted to be set in gutter pocket 33 and held by hook 70 of the gutter. Intermediate its length bar 82 is twisted through an angle of 90 to insure deposit of water on the hanger bar into gutter 28. The outer central section of bar 82 is extended and bent at a right angle to the bar to form a flange 84 which abuts the inner face of gutter bead 71. Adjacent the outermost extremity of the bar 82, there is provided a clamp unit including a body section 85 pivoted at 85 to bar 82. An inverted U-shaped clamp 86 is afiixed to an extremity of body section 85, which clamp, is adapted to be pivoted into engagement with gutter bead 71 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 12. The upper terminal of body section 85 is extended to provide a lock tab 87 which is bent over the outer terminal of bar 82 to retain clamp 86 in operative position. At a point rearwardly of the 90 twist, the intermediate section of hanger bar 82 is cut out at 88.

To lock hanger bar 82 in position, there is additionally provided a right angle wedge lock 89 of U-shape crosssection, the upper terminal of which is wedged under drip edge 37 of cornice facing 26. The lower horizontal portion of wedge lock 89 is superimposed on hanger bar 82 andis provided with an extension or jack piece 90 adapted to be trained through cut out portion 88 of hanger bar 82. The lateral edges of wedge lock 89 are extended at points intermediate the length thereof to provide dependent legs 91 which are bent under hanger bar 82 to insure that the two pieces are held in fixed relationship. (See FIGS. 13 and 14.)

Closing or return box 29 is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 6 and includes an outerwall 92, a top wall 93, a bottom wall 94 and an end wall 95. There is additionally provided an internal wall 96 in predetermined parallelly spaced relation to bottom wall 94 providing a pocket into which the lateral terminals of soflit 27 are received, the length of box 29 depending upon being coextensive with thewidth of soflit 27. As shown in FIG[ 6, a flashing piece or'watershed edge 97 extends upwardly from the inner terminal oftop wall 93 and is adapted for flush engagement with wall 20. Sheathing 22 is laid over watershed edge 97.

Rake bar 30 includes a slanted wall 98 the lower terminal of which is bent to provide a siding pocket 99, the wall side of the bar forming the pocket being a nailing edge for securing the rake bar to wall 20. The upper terminal of wall 98 is bent to form asheathing pocket 100, the lower terminal of the member comprising the pocket being extended to the wall where it again is bent to form a wall pocket .101.

In erecting the present building assembly cornice facing 26 is placed in correct position over the ends of roofs trusses 22 and is nailed, screwed or stapled to the same through nailing edge member 36. Sheathing pocket joining plate 45 is inserted into gutter pocket 33 between adjacent sheathing pocket sections, tabs 47 being bent downwardly under the edge of each member 35 to lock plate 45 in position. Cornice facing sections are next connected by securing joining plate 40 in place with pressure pin 43 and pressure bar 44.

Connectors 51 and 51' are slid over the longitudinal edges of section 38 of cornice facing 26 and the longitudinal edges of soffit plates 48 and 48. Soflit angle bar 52 is then slid over the wall edge of sofiit plate 48. Soffit plates 48, 48and 48', 48' are connected by soffit joining plates 53, 53', the latter being firmly held by pressure pins 56, 56' and pressure bars 57, 57.

Hanger bars 62 are positioned by first inserting support ing flange 64 of each bar into connector 51'. Lock clamp 65 is inserted into connector 51' from the opposite direction and legs 66 thereof bent around bar 62. Hanger bar 62 is then secured in proper position by fastening the same to a roof truss 22.

Return box 29 is placed in position at the ends of sofiit 27 with the terminals of soflit plates 48, 48' i the pocket formed between walls 94 and '96, and flashing piece 97 is secured to the gable construction members. Rake bar 30 is next fixed to the gable construction members.

piece into position. Legs 91 are then bent around hanger bar 82, locking wedge lock 89 firmly in place.

To assemble gutter unit 28, the upper face of each gutter joining plate 72 is thinly buttered or covered with a suitable adhesive sealant, then placed over adjoining ends of gutter sections. Pressure pins 73 and pressure bars 74 are inserted through the spaces between adjacent gutter sections. Tabs 75 are then bent over gutter head 71. Top plate 76 is next placed over rear portion 70 with finger 76 inserted through the opening in the top plate. Finger 76 is turned down, locking pieces 72 and 77. Pressure bars 74 are turned to the proper position .to hold adjacent gutter section edges against joining plate 72. Void space between adjoining edges of the gutter sections is then filled with proper adhesive sealant making a water tight joint.

In FIG. 15 there is illustrated an alternate means of connecting adjacent sofiit plates. In this form, there is provided a flat connector 102, the lateral edges of which are bent upwardly and inwardly, the connector being subjacent sections 50 and 49 of soffit plates 48 and 48'. The members are retained in position by pressure pins 103 and pressure bars 104.

In FIG. 16, there is shown a modified form of soffit angle bar designated 105, the lower terminal of which is bent to form a siding or soffit plate pocket 106.

The building assembly of the present invention may be readily and easily installed in a minimum of time, from the top down or bottom up, portions thereof being assembled with no tools at all and other parts thereof assembled with simple tools such as hammers, saws and screw drivers.

The assembly of the present invention is shown as applied to a conventional pitched roof. However, it is to be understood that it is suitable for all types of building and roof construction, both pitched and flat. It is further readily apparent that certain sections and features of this invention may be used separately, or in conjunction with one or more other sections or features, for the purpose of adapting such sections or features to the various types of building construction forms and needs. Also, with little or no modification certain joining, hanging and fastening devices of the invention may be adapted for use on items of a similar nature and purpose now in use.

Various other changes may be made within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a building having a vertical wall and a sloping roof and covering therefor,

the provision of a structural eaves covering formed from elongated sheet metal,

having a plurality of longitudinal bend lines forming a plurality of juxtaposed panel sections having an angular relation to each other and including,

a lower vertical flange section engaging said vertical wall,

a horizontal soflit section at generally right angles to the flange section,

an upwardly extending vertical facia section,

and a flashing section extending diagonally upwardly from the facia section and underlying the lower section of said roof covering,

the eaves covering having an upwardly opening substantially U-shaped narrow channel forming the juncture between the facia section and the flashing section,

3,344,561 7 8 'ded 'th fl the le ortious of said channel bein in close align- Said eaves trough being P W1 3 Q Illfill t svith each other and defining a flange receiv- Ceivable in Said p Channel and belng ing support, the juncture with the facia section being 1110Vab1e the1'ef10fnbelow the edge of th flashing ti 4. A one-piece corn ce faclng for application to a bu ld- 2. In combination with a building having a vertical 5 "8 Structure cflmprlslng faclng an ln'termedlate wall and a sloping roof and covering therefor, P of the fa1ng Wall belllg formed to P Y an P- the provision of a structural eaves covering, t y facmg' gutter P pp portlon f the and an eaves tro h u r d h b facing wall being bent to prov1de double reversed bends said eaves covering b i fo med f o sheet metal connected by a wall portion, the reversed bends defin ng ing a plurality of longitudinally disposed, generally Parallel Walls fixtendlng y form a sheaihmg parallel bends extending from end to end and dividk the uPRer Wall of the Sheathmg Pocket having a ing the eaves covering i a phnrality of elongated, pol'tlolr extend ng forwardly beyond the gutter pocket juxtaposed panel sections including, pmv'de a f 4 a relatively narrow vertical flange section along the One-Plea? C rnice facing, as set out in claim lower edge engaging i vertical wall, wherein the lower terminal of the fac ng wall is bent and three wider panel sections including a horizontal rem-Wardly below the caves the bulldmg structures ool". a 5:2: 5358 References Cited both at substantially right angles to each other, UNITED STATES PATENTS and an upwardly and diagonally inclined flashing secm 73] 13/1876 Shipley 248-481 tion underlying the lower portion of said roof cov- 55:251 3/1882 B diok 24848.1 ermg, 533,663 2/1895 Old 52512 the eaves covering having an upwardly opening sub- 93 040 10/1909 R kl 5211 stantially U-shaped channel forming the juncture be- 04 910 12/1912 Wagner 5211 tween the two latter sections, the juncture with the :43() 446 9/1922 Hennessy 5294 facla section being below the edge of the flashing 1,430,24 1/1924 Douglas 5294 flectlon, 1,762,756 6/1930 Braunstein 24848-1 said eaves trough provided with a flange receivable 57,933 5 1934 Brandl 24848.1 1n said channel and being removable therefrom. 1,9 2,735 6/1934 Nord 24848-1 3. In combination, a structural sheet metal eaves cover- 1,963,662 6/ 1934 Knapp. mg and an eaves trough supported thereby, 2,057,285 10/1936 Wilson 52 said eaves covering having a plurality of longitudinally ,249 2/1941 Henning 5211 disposed generally parallel bends extending from end 2,413,588 12/ 1946 Smith 5258 to end and dividing the eaves covering into a plu- 2,596,786 5/1952 Norrid 52-94 rality of elongated juxtaposed panel sections in- 2,755,893 7/1956 Male 52-11 eluding, 2,954,727 10/1960 Katt et a1. 52 1 a relatively narrow vertical depending flange section, 3,098,322 7/1963 Greene 52-11 and three wider panel sections including a horizontal soflit section extending forwardly from the vertical OTHER REFERENCES flange section,

Sheet Metal Worker, February 1942, page 38.

EARL J. WITMER, Primary Examiner. JACOB L. NACKENOFF, HENRY c. SUTHERLAND,

Examiners.

C. VANVECHTEN, M. O. WARNECKE,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BUILDING HAVING A VERTICAL WALL AND A SLOPING ROOF AND COVERING THEREFOR, THE PROVISION OF A STRUCTURAL EAVES COVERING FORMED FROM ELONGATED SHEET METAL, HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL BEND LINES FORMING A PLURALITY OF JUXTAPOSED PANEL SECTIONS HAVING AN ANGULAR RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND INCLUDING, A LOWER VERTICAL FLANGE SECTION ENGAGING SAID VERTICAL WALL, A HORIZONTAL SOFFIT SECTION AT GENERALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO THE FLANGE SECTION, AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING VERTICAL FACIA SECTION, AND A FLASHING SECTION EXTENDING DIAGONALLY UPWARDLY 